Microsoft Meets with Yahoo to Make Its Case

Friday, March 14th, 2008 by Andy Beal

Microsoft Meets with Yahoo to Make Its Case

The WSJ is reporting that execs from Microsoft met with Yahoo in an effort to convince the company to accept their unsolicited bid.

The meeting, the first since Microsoft made its unsolicited offer Jan. 31, marks a breakthrough in communication between the two camps following Yahoo’s rejection of Microsoft’s offer last month.

Still, the meeting wasn’t a negotiation, and no bankers attended, these people said. The session was intended to allow Microsoft to present its vision of a combined company, and Yahoo executives mostly listened, one of the people said. No further talks have been scheduled.

Does this mean Yahoo is getting ready to accept the offer from Microsoft? Don’t hold your breath. Yahoo is holding similar meetings with News Corp, Time Warner, and Dow Jones and the WSJ can’t even confirm if Yahoo’s Jerry Yang or Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer were in attendance.

What do you think? Is this a sign Yahoo’s ready to consider Microsoft’s bid?

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5 comments on “Microsoft Meets with Yahoo to Make Its Case”

Laurent Blondeau (Evidencesx) Says:

March 14th, 2008 at 5:59 am

Well, I guess Microsoft war treasurery is about to find some…some what ?
Maybe search market could be a solution but I think they might turn out toward CRM (like SAP rumours), almost than Yahoo field. Google has now some further steps, is it the real aim now…?
The search (they already have MSN search, what could be done, despite a “subscribers deal” – and access to Flickr so ?), is a crowded place now…
Search Engine Optimization Journal Says:

March 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am

At this point, we believe Yahoo will not truly be accepting bids TOO soon. They seem to be implementing a lot of new ideas and changes and once these are all done, may consider it…they are just leading Microsoft on it seems.
Steven Bradley Says:

March 14th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

Consider? Maybe. Sounds like they’re listening to a lot of things at the moment and once the info is in they’ll make a decision about where to go.

That they’re listening to Microsoft is an indication that they are willing to consider what Microsoft has to say, but that doesn’t make it an automatic that Yahoo will ultimately decide to go with Microsoft’s offer.

They might, they might not. For the moment it just sounds like they’re collecting all the information.
Seomotion Says:

March 14th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

It’s iunteresting. I think Yahoo will decline another Microsoft offer.
Nicole Says:

March 17th, 2008 at 10:53 am

Sounds more like they are lending an ear to whoever requests it.

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